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July 12, 2017

China 'ready' for war if PH pushes arbitration win: retired general

China is ready to wage war if the Philippines insists on its arbitral
win that rejected the basis of Beijing's sweeping claims over the South
China Sea, a former military intelligence chief warned Tuesday.

One
year since Beijing was defeated before the Hague-based Permanent Court
of Arbitration, Manila has yet to push for the enforcement of the ruling
and, under President Rodrigo Duterte, set it aside in exchange for
investments and financial aid.

But Duterte had said he would
eventually raise the ruling to China later in his administration, a move
that could "lead to war," said retired Gen. Victor Corpus, who headed
the Philippine military's intelligence service.

"If we pursue
this decision of the Hague, China is ready to go to war to defend what
it perceives as its territorial integrity and sovereignty," Corpus told a
forum.

Corpus echoed observations by military analysts that
China was fortifying its positions in the disputed waters to prevent a
possible naval blockade by the United States in the event of a military
confrontation.

Such a move would compromise China's security and economy, he said.

"Those are the real reasons why China built those islands. It is not for oil or gas or fish. It is for survival," he said."In order to ensure its survival, China will fight for those islands."

China
has built artificial islands in the South China Sea and equipped them
with runways, missile systems, and communication facilities.

It also seized control of Scarborough Shoal following a standoff with the Philippine Navy over Chinese poachers caught in 2012.

Asked
what the Philippines should do in the face of China's construction in
the disputed islands, Corpus said: "They fortify whatever they have now.
We fortify whatever we have. Status quo."

"But we cannot prevent
them (and say) 'You don't build this or build' that because they will
not agree and if you meddle with those things, you will have war," he
said.

Corpus said the Philippines need not bring up the arbitral
ruling if it could agree with China to set aside their respective
sovereignty claims and focus on other areas of cooperation.

Last May, both sides began a bilateral consultation mechanism that would eventually tackle the maritime dispute.

"Even
if we debate for a hundred or even a thousand years, we will never come
to an agreement and eventually, we will go to war," Corpus said.

Duterte
earlier claimed Chinese President Xi Jinping had threatened war if the
Philippines drilled for oil in the disputed waters.